Taken while reading an article from this site about the Jacobites, whose inheritance was later taken by the Bavarian Wittelsbachs...
Could they pull off a secession? Would Hitler send in the Heer, or would he be too unwilling to do that?
So, what if Held and von Aretin had been more bold about their defiance to Hitler and support for a restoration of the Bavarian monarchy?By 1932 the Nazis had the support of almost half the German electorate. There was every reason to believe that if Hitler were named German chancellor (prime minister) the next step would be for the Nazis to establish a permanent dictatorship. The state government in Bavaria feared that the the federal German government would dismiss the elected government of Bavaria (as actually happened in Prussia in July 1932). In May 1932 the Bavarian Minister-President (premier) Heinrich Held met with Rupert's chief political advisor Baron Erwein von Aretin. Held wanted Aretin to prepare for a monarchist restoration in Bavaria, but was unwilling to have his government publicly endorse the plan.
In January 1933 Held and the Bavarian government began to consider the idea of naming Rupert as General State Commissioner. This temporary office was intended to be used in times of crisis; it gave the holder extraordinary powers to restore law and order. Such an appointment would have been a clear sign of resistance to Hitler who was appointed German chancellor on January 30. At a meeting in the Leuchtenberg Palace on February 21 Held intended to announce Rupert's appointment - but at the last minute he wavered, and no announcment was made.
Could they pull off a secession? Would Hitler send in the Heer, or would he be too unwilling to do that?